In Awe of the Masters
by The Genesis Riddle
Summary: As they siblings fought Katara reflected. The Circle of Masters is open and it's time for her to step in. Katara's thoughts during the final battle during Zuko and Azula. FRIENDSHIP only! Miako implied


Author: The Genesis Riddle

Title: In Awe of the Masters

Restart Date: February 25, 2013

End Date Date: February 27, 2013

Rating: K+

**/\/\/\**

Zuko's words played in Katara's mind as they flew through the Fire Prince's homeland.

"_What if he loses?"_

The words echoed through her head, saying out loud what no one else dared say. The water bender shook her head to clear it of troubling thoughts. Of course Aang would win…he had to win. She gazed off the side of Appa at the Fire Nation countryside. It really was beautiful nation, full of innovation, good people. They were just as human as the rest of the world, not just the war mongering soldiers she grown up to believe they would be.

"You're country is beautiful, Zuko," Katara said, still gaze at their fast moving surroundings.

"Yeah, it is," The fire-bender replied wishfully. Katara turned and placed a hand on his shoulder, providing what comfort she could though the simple gesture. He turned to glance at her and Katara offered him a small smile. He returned the smile briefly, then turned and resumed gazing at his homeland's beauty.

Katara removed her hand slowly, still smiling. Zuko would make a great Fire Lord. She and the others had learned so much about the Prince in the few weeks he had been with their group. They had learned that leaving the fire nation and being called a traitor to his people was harder than he let on. Zuko was fiercely patriotic and loved the Fire Nation along with all its people. He was skilled in far more than just fire bending: dual dao swords (which he learned from Piandao as she had learned a few hours ago), hand-to-hand combat, stealth, and tea making were just a few of the skill she learned he possessed (though he insisted he was lousy at making tea). He genuinely cared for Mai and was truly sorry he'd left her behind at both the Boiling Rock and originally when he came to join them. He was street smart and book smart, as well as both physically and mentally strong. He cared his family -or at least his mother and his uncle- and bore the burden of the other two members crimes -as well as the atrocities of his ancestors- on his shoulders. He had a kind heart and genuinely wanted to help, no matter how crass his methods sometimes were. He also was a good teacher, hard to impress but adaptable and fair (kind of like Toph she realized with a smile). He had an inner turmoil she didn't know any human could hold within them, possessed an enormous sense of guilt for everything he'd done, and had the most twisted and painful past she'd ever heard of.

The water bender thought back to a few days after he'd returned from the boiling rock with Sokka, her father, and the others. Toph had off handedly asked how old he was. When he'd answered sixteen all heads had turned to him in shock.

"_What?"_ he'd asked, a small frown on his face. Hakota had answered for all of them.

"_I just…didn't expect you to be so young."_ Zuko had cocked his head.

"_Why not?"_ He'd asked.

"_Well…you don't often see someone so young making the choices you've supposedly made, or as scarred as you are." _The faintest of blushes appeared on the Prince's face and he's reached up to trace the scar covering his eye, taking the scar comment as a slight against his appearance. Her father had given him a small smile before shaking his head.

"_Don't misunderstand, Prince. I don't mean that as an insult, just that you seem very worldly wise for someone of your years. How older were you when you got your scar?"_ Zuko had hesitated before answering.

"_I was thirteen years old."_ The groups' eyes had widened but after a moment of awkward silence Aang had asked Hakota a question about the Boiling Rock and everyone had returned to their tasks. But Zuko's words had remained with her; he wasn't nearly as old as she had first supposed. Katara, and many of the others, had assumed he was an adult, eighteen, nineteen, maybe even twenty but barely a year older than Sokka; never.

He had an easy smile around those he trusted but hardly ever laughed, understandable since he'd been betrayed by most of family. He was stubborn to the point of insanity and never viewed anyone as expendable, no matter who they were. She remembered the conversation from a few days ago, when Sokka had asked where his scar had come from. Zuko had remained silent for a moment before moving his up to rest it on the marred part of his flesh, an unconscious reaction rather than a conscious show of insecurity. Then he told them the story, how he had spoken out in a war meeting in defense of some new recruits who were going to be sacrificed in a general's plan, how he had been forced to fight an Agni Kai (A duel he had explained, seeing their slightly confused looks) against his father, and how his father had burned and humiliated him. The rest of the group had been silent until Toph -being Toph- had spoken up.

_"I knew it!"_ She had exclaimed, _"I told you guys he wasn't all bad!"_ They had all shared a laugh, including Zuko, and the conversation returned to normal; anyone who would risk themselves like that, whether knowing it or not, for their people couldn't be bad. Though he was not without his flaws. He was moody, had a quite a temper, was confrontational and rude, he could be arrogant, and struggled with emotional connections and trusting anybody, was impulsive, could be extremely condescending on those he view as beneath him, had a hard time forgiving, never ever forgot a slight against him, and had a nasty habit of believing he was guilty of every sin the world. However, he acknowledged all these flaws and even though he didn't bother stressing about them, he was aware they existed and attempted to control them…most of the time. _Yes, _Katara thought with a small smile, _Zuko would be a great Fire Lord._

"We're here!" Zuko suddenly exclaimed and Katara snapped out of her reverie. Once again she saw the splendor of the Imperial City, only this time she fully took in it's incredible majesty and beauty.

"Shame something so beautiful represents someone so evil," She said, echoing her thoughts.

"Yeah," Zuko breathed, and she glanced over at him. He was tense but oddly relaxed at the same time. _Maybe it's the comfort of being in his childhood home? _She mused as Zuko steered Appa lower. Katara steeled her mind for the coming battle and set her face in determination. They **would** win this. A voice echoed through the air,

"By decree of Phoenix King Ozai, I now pronounce you Fire Lord-" the man speaking cut off as he caught sight of Appa flying down toward him; he and the other attendants stepped back in fear, after all, it wasn't everyday a ten ton flying bison swoops down toward you. Katara would've laughed if the situation hadn't been so serious. Azula obviously hadn't caught sight of them yet as she turned toward he poor, cowering priest.

"What are you waiting for? Do it!" She commanded harshly. Suddenly Appa decided to announce his presence with a long, loud groan-like noise. Azula whipped her head around and her eyes widened in shock. Katara's own eyes widened in surprise at the Princess' appearance. Azula's usually immaculate hair was loose and frizzy, the normally immovable topknot was hanging over to the side and some bits were hanging in her eyes; her eyes were what threw Katara the most. Normally cold and calculating, they were now filled with only anger and something else Katara couldn't pin. As the Sky Bison landed Zuko stood and addressed his sister.

"Sorry, but you're not going to become Fire Lord today," He jumped off Appa's head and landed in the ground standing straight with firm shoulders and a determined face, "I am." Azula cackled at what she obviously believed to be an idle threat.

"You're hilarious," She taunted making no move to fight them. Katara stepped beside the ex-prince.

"And you're going down!" She added viciously, trying to put every once of venom and determination she could muster into the words. The Priest stepped forward again, attempting to place the symbolic hair ornament but Azula held up her hand.

"Wait," she commanded and she stood, glaring at the two of them and Katara could practically feel the hate and loathing radiating of the princess, "You want to be Fire Lord? Fine! Let's settle this, just you and me brother, the showdown that was always meant to be. Agni Kai!" Katara scowled_ No way Zuko will accept this!_ But as soon as this though crossed her mind Zuko's voice sounded,

"You're on," His voice was firm and resolute. Katara whipped her head around to face the ex-prince. The remains of a scowl still on his face but had lessened to a frown. There was no hate or anger, just determination. _He really has changed, _Katara thought, _but he can't do this!_

"What're you doing? She's playing you. She knows she can't take a both so she's trying to separate us!" Katara whispered urgently, trying to get her friend (Yes he was her friend now, even thought she never thought it possible) to see sense.

"I know," Zuko replied his eyes never leaving his sister, "But I can take her this time."

"But even you admitted to your uncle that you would need help facing Azula," Katara reasoned.

"There's something off about her. I can't explain it but she's slipping. And this way," He said turning to face Katara, "No one else has to get hurt." Katara's eyes widened. _I don't care about getting hurt!_ She screamed in her head, but then she remembered when Zuko had explained the rules of an Agni Kai to the group. One on one combat, fire bending and martial arts only, it ends when one opponent burns the other; a way of solving conflict centuries old and a way befitting the Fire Nation.

The groups moved to a large arena, surrounded by walls and columns. Katara could see slight scorch marks on the ground from previous duels. Zuko knelt on one end, his back to Azula who had adopted same position on the opposite end. He shot her quick glance and reassuring smile before his eyes closed and a serious, concentrated expression came upon his face. This was it. After a moment he stood and faced Azula who did the same. The Fire Princess smirked and shed her cape.

"I'm sorry it has to end this way, Brother." Zuko dropped into a fighting stance.

"No you're not." Azula's smirk widened to a maniacal grin and she too dropped into a similar pose, albeit a bit…wilder.

Azula struck first, a burst of blue flame shooting toward her brother who countered with two powerful currents. When the two collided Katara could feel the heat from her place behind the duel, the temperature was incredible she could only imagine how hot it must be up close. The two flames collided and continued to collide until the combatants ceased their clash. Azula continued her barrage of flame and Zuko countered expertly. The two continued to battle, their flames spilling over onto the surroundings burning all in their path.

Katara could only watch in awe. Before –when she'd been running away from Zuko- she'd never been able to appreciate how skilled he was. She'd glimpsed it when he'd been training Aang but the comet's power gave him power she'd never seen before. He mastery of his element was amazing and left her speechless in the face of such raw unrestrained power. Zuko's skills were amazing, both of their skills were she grudgingly admitted; for each move one had the other had a counter, neither giving an inch. She had seen masters of many arts but the skills Jeong Jeong had shown her couldn't compare to what she was seeing now. She didn't have to know much about Firebending to see that Zuko was a Firebending Master.

Katara didn't consider herself a master waterbender, whenever those she considered her masters, or had earned the title Master gather around her she honestly felt like an outsider looking in. Aang was the Avatar, master all four elements and Toph could honestly say she was the greatest earthbender in the world. Even Zuko had clearly mastered the aspects of his element, but Katara sometimes (not all the time but sometimes) felt in adequate to stand by their side.

Her attention was refocused on the battle as she noticed Zuko's footing begin to slip but relaxed when he renewed his stance and forced an even more powerful barrage. The flames dissipated and Azula whirled around, glanced at the half of the palace that had been charred by Zuko's flames, and shot her brother a glare that would boil iron. She renewed her barrage with massive blast of fire from her legs. Zuko spun quickly in place (to gather energy Katara assumed) and before using his own flame to split his sister's blue fire right down the middle. Azula was gasping for air where as Zuko seemed relatively unaffected.

The Prince paused for a moment before sending a massive blast of flame toward Azula, who dodged and propelled herself away with fire from the bottoms of her feet. Zuko had been right; Azula was slipping. Her fire seemed less…precise. Maybe it was the influx of power from the comet but Katara doubted it. Azula had always seemed off but now it was on display for the whole world to see.

The waterbender's attention was returned to the dual when Azula propelled herself forward and shot blasts of furious, wild flame at her brother. Katara's eyes widened as Zuko also used a blast of flame from both his hands and feet to force himself upward, avoiding the blast. He hung suspended for a moment, spun and sent a burst to flame to intercept and neutralize Azula's second fireball. As he fell Zuko charged a blast and sent it down at Azula's fire, once again splitting it down the middle. He remained crouched in the middle of the flame and Katara couldn't help it as the sliver of worry she'd been nursing since the beginning of the fight began to grow, but if Zuko was getting tired he didn't show it. From the same position he sent a tunnel of fire at Azula, who was still charging him. However, the fire princess deviated at the last minute circling around her brother and assaulting him with another blast of blue fire. Zuko surrounded himself with a sphere of flame, dissipating his sister's blue flame and attempted to pin her down as she circled around him once again. Katara frowned as she watched siblings battle for the throne.

Siblings…Katara couldn't imagine ever actually dueling with Sokka -much less over power- and she was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of sympathy for the two. She knew Zuko didn't want pity, she could see it in his eyes whenever he answer questions about his past. He wanted no one's sympathy for his past, but she couldn't help it. These two were flesh and blood and even though she didn't know the details of their relationship (she could, however, infer they had never really liked each other, nor had they ever gotten along) they were family. She knew she could never imagine hating her father or joining a side that would almost inevitably lead to his destruction. She could never even dream of being ashamed of her family nor bearing the burden that the whole world hated and/or feared her only surviving relatives. She could never have grown up in the world Zuko had lived in, one of back stabbing politics and constantly being looked down upon and judged, even by people he'd never met. Having gotten a small taste of the cut-throat and ambitious game in Ba Sing Se, Katara didn't think she'd be able to handle being immersed in it everyday for her entire childhood as Zuko had and, as a sinking suspicion crept into her mind, possibly for the rest of his life. Few people deserved rest, peace, and stability in their lives more than Zuko and he had voluntarily stepped forward and accepted the burden. Not just of politics but accepted the hatred of the whole world for a century of war and suffering. It seemed that in the horrible reality of the world Zuko would never have a truly peaceful life. But… Katara thought back to recent months. The Fire Prince had seemed so relaxed. He'd smiled and laughed, occasionally at the jokes Sokka made at his expense, he'd opened up, and revealed chinks in his near impenetrable armor. Maybe…

Katara's thoughts were abruptly caught off when Zuko dropped to the ground. At first she thought he might have been hit but instead of staying down Zuko spun his legs around his head in a movement not dissimilar to a dance she'd once seen performed by a group of performers do. As he spun Zuko released a tendril of flame from his legs that spiraled outward and knocked Azula out of her miniature flight. It was one of the coolest things Katara had ever seen and she made a mental note to describe the move to Aang and Sokka, maybe have Zuko demonstrate because judging from the way Azula tumbled to the ground it was a powerful technique. She resisted the urge to grin and cheer.

As Azula picked herself up Zuko shouted a taunt at his sister as he renewed his stance (this one different from the ones she'd seen before. Instead of both hands in front open but pulled into a position similar to a knife, Zuko had his back hand pulled into a fist with his front hand extended, still in the knife hand but pulled back instead of slanted. She once again made a mental note to ask Zuko about the techniques she'd seen him use today and differences in stances.),

"No lightning today? What's the matter, afraid I'll redirect it?" Azula scowled.

"Oh, I'll show you lightening!" She spat and began to summon the electricity in a complex looking motion she'd never seen Zuko use (she had a sneaking suspicion that Zuko **couldn't** use lightening). Zuko inhaled and adopted a new stance in preparation to deflect the dangerous technique. Katara readied herself, the idea had seemed simple enough when Zuko had explained it to Aang but now that she was actually going to see it happen she prepared herself for what would probably be a mini heart attack. It amazed her how quickly she'd come to accept the Prince as one of her boys and part of their little family.

Suddenly, Azula, who had finished readying herself for the attack and had been aiming at her brother, changed directions. Katara started when she realized where the crazed princess was aiming the deadly attack; straight at her! She stepped back and prepared to defend herself but she knew she would stand very little chance against the lightening quick attack (no pun intended). Apparently Zuko had realized the same thing and begun running into the attack's path. Katara could only watch in horror as Zuko absorbed the attack into himself and she didn't have to know exactly how lightening redirection worked to know that Zuko had done it incorrectly. As he hit the ground he discharged the energy into the sky but a portion remained in his body, crackling and causing him pain if the tortured groans he emitted were anything to go by.

"Zuko!" Katara cried as she surged forward, her hands covering in water in preparation for healing, but a bolt of lightening stopped her in her tracks. Azula cackled as she advanced, the princess' steps sloppy and off balance but still remarkably sinister. She glanced over at Zuko as she ran from Azula's barrage; the prince was struggling to push himself up but the wound on his chest made it impossible. He reached out as if attempting to stop Azula's attacks but collapsed once more after a feeble attempt to push himself off the ground. Katara dodged yet another attack and shook her head, she couldn't worry about Zuko right now. She had to pray that he survived long enough for her to win this fight and heal him, but right now she had to focus. She had a battle to win. The time for awe was over; it was time for her to become one of the masters.

**End**

Author's Note: Something I started years ago and when I got re-hooked on Avatar: The Last Airbender and decided to finish it. Zuko is my absolute favorite character and the Agni Kai between he and Azula is absolutely amazing!

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